Press Release 3rd June 2026

#Nextbillageneration at the helm: 213 apprentices are running seven stores in Austria

Once again this year, enthusiastic young talents are stepping into management roles and running BILLA and BILLA PLUS stores independently – with real customers, real sales and real responsibility. From 8 to 12 June, 213 apprentices will take charge of seven BILLA sites across Austria, including stores in Vienna, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Styria, Carinthia, Salzburg and Burgenland.

Three women smiling and giving thumbs up in a store aisle, with one wearing a black headscarf, another in a yellow shirt, and the third in a black suit. Shelves of products are visible in the background.

A look back at BILLA’s successful ‘Apprentices Run the Stores’ campaign in 2025 / Copyright: © BILLA AG / Robert Harson, Reproduction for PR purposes free of charge

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At a glance

With its successful “Apprentices Run the Stores” initiative, BILLA is focusing on practical training for young talent with real responsibility for the 14th year running
From 8 to 12 June, 213 BILLA apprentices will take on managerial responsibility for a total of seven stores across seven federal states
Highlights of the Apprentice Week include the sales competition and the unique recruitment day

This tried-and-tested scheme for nurturing young talent begins with a joint strategy planning session involving the apprentices, before moving on to day-to-day operations in the store: the young talents rotate through all departments, from fruit & veg and delicatessen to checkout and stock management. For a whole week, they plan shifts, work as a team and make big decisions.

With this temporary responsibility, the Next BILLA Generation rises to the challenge and realises its potential in leadership, organisation and teamwork. This annual adventure is underpinned by team spirit and mutual trust, both amongst the apprentices themselves and in their relationships with their supervisors and store management. It is precisely this sense of togetherness that makes BILLA such an attractive training provider and provides the best argument on the recruitment day of the apprenticeship week to inspire potential successors with their own enthusiasm.

Kai Pataky, BILLA Executive Board Member for Sales: “It never ceases to impress me how much heart and mind our apprentices put into tackling this challenge. This year’s participants are already brimming with anticipation and ideas for their new role. For 14 years, our ‘Apprentices Run the Stores’ programme has given our young talent the chance to prove themselves. Even in times of uncertainty, we remain committed to this approach: supporting the younger generation is a constant priority at BILLA. Through this initiative, we specifically nurture the leaders of tomorrow by placing our trust in them and actively supporting their development in the areas of courage, personal responsibility, team spirit and leadership.”

The highlight of Apprentice Week is the cross-team sales competition, where everything that defines modern retail is put to the test: from creative product displays to in-depth specialist knowledge, genuine sales skills and direct customer contact. The team with the best-selling products and the greatest ingenuity wins.